A chilled night at home can be exactly what's needed after a busy week. We're out and about as much as possible in the warmer months - coastal walks, beach evenings, the garden, the firepit - but in the UK that realistically means around seven months of the year are better suited to staying in and making the most of being cosy indoors.  Also, we have two kids who are only just reaching the age of being able to be left for a couple of hours or a few in the evenings, as they both will soon be at senior school, so before now we've not had the possibility to go out in the evening, so it's been evenings at home for a long time!

We've got a log burner which completely changes the atmosphere on a cold evening. Throws, snacks, a film on - it's genuinely one of my favourite ways to spend a night in. Whether you're solo, with your partner, or with the whole family, here are fifteen relaxing things to do when you want a proper chill night in.

1. Create a cosy film or series night

Pick a film you've been meaning to watch or start a new series together. The key is making it properly cosy - get the throws out, sort the snacks, dim the lights. We tend to end most evenings watching an episode of something in bed, even after a long working day as we often work until 9pm, sometimes later. It's become our wind-down ritual and genuinely helps switch the brain off from work mode.

Romantic comedies, nature documentaries, true crime, comfort re-watches - whatever works for you. If you've got a log burner or fireplace, this is the night to use it. For tips on creating the perfect cosy TV night in, there are some good ideas for setting the scene properly.

2. Play card games or board games

Some of our best evenings as a family have been around the table with a deck of cards. We love Rummy - it's one of those games that works for all ages, takes concentration but not so much that it stops being relaxing, and a game can last as long as you want it to. Sh*thead is another family favourite (and yes, that is its actual name!).

My husband and son both love chess - they play regularly and it's become a proper thing between them. Board games like Monopoly work well if you want something everyone can get involved in and have several hours to spare! Jigsaw puzzles are another genuinely meditative option if you like them - good for when you want to be doing something with your hands but not really thinking too hard.

Card games, drawing games, trivia, charades - all free, all great, no screens required.

Some game ideas worth trying for a chill night in:

• Board games - Monopoly, Cluedo or cooperative games where you work as a team
• Word games - Scrabble, Boggle or online word apps
• Drawing games - Pictionary or digital drawing apps where you guess each other's doodles
• Jigsaw puzzles - absorbing and meditative, good for a couple of hours of quiet focus
• Trivia - quiz formats work well for groups or solo
• Cosy video games - Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing and similar games are genuinely relaxing
• Phone games - puzzles, sudoku or matching games for quiet solo entertainment
• Acting games - charades gets everyone laughing and needs no setup at all

3. Pamper yourself with a spa evening

Transform your bathroom into a proper retreat. Light candles, put on soft music, run a bath with salts or bubbles, and follow it up with a face mask, body lotion and a proper pamper. A DIY manicure or pedicure, a hair mask, whatever makes you feel looked after.

You don't need to spend much - most of it is already in your bathroom cabinet. For a more detailed guide to creating the ideal home spa day, there are some good ideas for making it feel genuinely luxurious.

I also love a long hot shower, with no time limits as it's the evening, so I don't have to rush around to get ready for the day ahead and can enjoy it for longer.

4. Get creative with crafts

Creative evenings are some of the most satisfying. My daughter is particularly into this - she makes pompoms, handmade jewellery, cosplay outfits and animations, and she has her own TikTok and YouTube channels she creates content for. Watching her lose herself in a project for a whole evening is lovely.

Crafting works for all ages and skill levels. Painting, knitting, candle making, scrapbooking, origami - anything that keeps your hands busy and your mind gently focused tends to have a naturally calming effect. My son loves Lego for exactly the same reason - it's absorbing without being stressful.

If you want something to show for your evening, crafting delivers every time.

5. Bake something

Baking is both relaxing and rewarding in equal measure. The process of measuring, mixing and waiting is genuinely meditative, and the result is something you can eat. Try a new vegan recipe, make fresh bread, bake a batch of biscuits or experiment with something you've never tried before. The smell alone makes the house feel better.

6. Try yoga, stretching or meditation

Ten to thirty minutes of gentle yoga, a simple stretching routine, or quiet breathing practice is a genuinely useful way to spend part of a chill evening - particularly before bed. It helps release the physical tension that builds up through the day from sitting at a desk, and it makes sleep come more easily.

There are hundreds of free guided sessions on YouTube for all levels, so no experience or equipment is needed.

7. Read a book or listen to an audiobook

I love reading but rarely find the time for it - by the end of a long working day I'm often too tired to focus properly on a book and just want to watch something instead. But when I do read, it's usually on a plane or at the beach when I genuinely can't do anything else, and it's always a pleasure.

If you're in a similar position, an audiobook is a brilliant middle ground. You can listen while doing something else - a bath, some gentle stretching, a bit of tidying - and still get lost in a story without having to find the energy to focus on a page.

8. Have an indoor picnic

Lay a blanket on the living room floor, put together some finger foods, and have a proper indoor picnic. Dim the lights, put on some music, and ignore the fact that it's raining outside. This is particularly good fun with children and makes a fairly ordinary evening feel like a bit of an event.

9. Listen to music or discover a podcast

Music changes the atmosphere of an evening completely. We often have music on in the background even when we're working - it's a small thing that makes a real difference to how the evening feels. Build a relaxing playlist, revisit an album you love, or put on something new.

Podcasts are equally good - something genuinely interesting to listen to while you do other things, whether that's true crime, comedy, finance, politics, conspiracies or whatever you're into at the moment.

10. Aromatherapy and candles

Light a scented candle or use a diffuser with essential oils to change the feel of a room. Lavender, chamomile and sandalwood are particularly good for a relaxing evening. Paired with low lighting it makes even a normal weeknight feel calming and intentional. We use essential oil diffusers regularly and it's one of those small things that consistently improves the atmosphere at home.

11. Write or journal

Put your thoughts on paper - reflect on the day, write down what you're grateful for, set some intentions, or just write freely without any agenda. Journaling is good for releasing whatever has built up during the day and going to bed with a clearer head. Even five minutes makes a difference.

12. Do a virtual tour or learn something new

Many museums, galleries and landmarks around the world offer free virtual tours. The British Museum, the Louvre, NASA's virtual space tours - you can spend a genuinely interesting evening exploring things you'd never otherwise get to see, all from the sofa.

Equally, picking up something new - a language app, a short online course, a YouTube tutorial on something you've always wanted to try - can make a quiet evening feel productive without being stressful.

13. Gentle outdoor time - firepit or garden

When the weather allows, even a cool evening can be brilliant outside with the right setup. We have a firepit in the garden and it's one of our favourite ways to spend an evening in the warmer months - and sometimes beyond. Vegan marshmallows on skewers, a drink, a clear sky, good company. Lying back and looking at the stars is one of those simple pleasures that costs nothing and feels like a proper reset.

Even just sitting outside with a warm drink for half an hour in the evening is enough to feel like you've had a genuine break from the house.

14. Tend to your plants

Indoor gardening is quiet and meditative in the best way. Repotting, pruning, watering, rearranging - it's the kind of gentle activity that keeps your hands busy and your mind calm. If you grow your own food like we do, an evening checking on the vegetable patches or potting something new has a genuinely satisfying quality to it.

15. Healthy snacks and a proper wind-down routine

Sometimes a chill night in is less about doing something specific and more about the ritual of it. A good snack spread, low lighting, comfortable clothes, no screens for the last thirty minutes before bed. The act of deliberately winding down - putting the phone away, making a herbal tea, doing a short sleep hygiene routine - is one of the most relaxing things you can do for yourself at the end of a long day.

A chill night in doesn't have to be elaborate to be genuinely restorative. Some of our best evenings have been the simplest ones.

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Before you go...

If stress has been building up and you need more than just a quiet evening, 10 free and simple ways to beat stress has some practical ideas that go a bit deeper.

And for more ideas on cheap and fun things to do at home with the family, a list of 50 free and cheap things to do in the summer holidays with kids is worth bookmarking.